Fla. man hospitalized after e-cigarette explodes in face

A Florida man was hospitalized after an electronic cigarette exploded in his face on Monday.

Evan Spahlinger, 21, was taken to the hospital in Naples, Fla., after the e-cigarette he was smoking burst and severely burned his face and neck, the Naples Daily News reported.

Spahlinger inhaled part of the e-cigarette, which also caused internal burning, North Collier Fire Deputy Chief Eloy Ricardo told the Daily News.

The 21-year-old was later flown to Miami for treatment, where he was placed in a medically induced coma, Ricardo said.

Spahlinger's sister, Ema Richardson, said she heard the explosion and found her brother covered in soot Monday morning, WINK-TV reported.

"I found my brother not breathing, with his whole face burned and his neck burned and trying to throw up a little or maybe he was gasping for air, so I called 911," Richardson told WINK.

This is the first case of an e-cigarette exploding in the area, Ricardo told The Naples Daily News.

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